Transfer chair



June 30, 1964 Filed July 10, 1961 G. M. JENNINGS ETAL TRANSFER CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.2.

GERALD M. JENNINGS JACK D. GOODING INVENTORS.

ATTORNEYS.

June 1964 G. M. JENNINGS ETAL 3,139,306

TRANSFER CHAIR Filed July 10, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 GERALD M. JENNINGS JACK D. GOODING INVENTORS.

ATTO R N EYS.

United States Patent 3,139,306 TRANSFER CHAIR Gerald M. Jennings and-Jack D. Gooding, Los Angeles,

Calif., assignors to Everest 8: Jennings, Inc, Los Angeles, Calif a corporation of California Filed July 10, 1961, Ser. No. 122,691 9 Claims. (Cl. 27326) This invention relates to what may be termed a transfer chair or an invalid wheel chair that is particularly suitable for use at airports, railroad stations, bus stations, and the like, for the purpose of transferring invalids relatively short distances. 7

One object of the invention is to provide a type of invalid wheel chair having a footrest capable of resting solidly on the ground or on a supporting surface that supports the wheel chair. With such a footrest an invalid can readily step onto the footrest while it is solidly supported and position himself in its seat. The seat of the chair is pivotally mounted on the chassis for forward and rearward tilting movement, and when in its rearwardmost position the footrest is automatically elevated from the ground or other supporting surface so that it does not interfere with a hinder the normal movement of the chair. On transporting the invalid to the desired location the seat can again be tilted forwardly so as to position the footrest solidly on the ground so as to allow the invalid to raise himself from the seat and onto the solidly supported footrest.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide an invalid wheel chair having the above-mentioned characteristics which is provided with a construction that will enable the seat to be tilted forwardly relatively to the chassis to position the footrest solidly on the ground if the seat is tilted forwardly slowly but will prevent forward tilting of the seat if the seat is tilted forwardly rapidly. By means of this construction, if thechassis of the wheel chair should encounter a small obstruction that would arrest or tend to retard its forward movement causing the seat to commence to tilt forwardly very rapidly and thus position the footrest on the ground such tilting movement of the seat relative to the chassis is immediately arrested. On the other hand, when the invalid reaches his destination in the chair, and is about to leave the chair for some other form of conveyance, a slow forward tilting movement of the seat relative to the chassis is not arrested and consequently the footrest can be firmly or solidly positioned on the ground.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of the transfer chair embodying the present invention illustrating in full lines the seat in its normal position and in dotted lines the seat and footrest in their forwardly tilted position wherein the footrest is resting solidly on the supporting surface;

FIG. 2 is a rear view in elevation of the chair;

FIG. 3 is a partial view in vertical section taken substantially upon the line 33 upon FIG. 2 illustrating details of construction of the mechanism that controls the tilting movement of the seat with relation to the chassis, the parts being illustrated in those positions assumed thereby when the seat is in its rearwardmost position;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section taken substantially upon the line 4-4 upon FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating the positions assumed by the parts when the seat is tilted forwardly slowly with relation to the chair chassis;

3,139,306 Patented June 30, 1964 See FIG. 6 is a horizontal section taken substantially upon the line 6-6 upon FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating the parts in the positions assumed thereby as a result of tilting the seat forwardly in a rapid manner relatively to the chair chassis;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal section taken substantially upon the line 88 upon FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a partial view in vertical section taken substantially upon the line 9-9 upon FIG. 7.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved chair comprises a suitable chassis or frame generally indicated at 10; This frame :is mounted on ground wheels 11 and caster wheels 12.

On the frame or chassis there is a seat frame 13 which is preferably constructed of metal tubing to provide seat rails14, armrests 15, backrest supports 16 and handles 17. The seat frame also provides supports 18 on which a footrest 19 is rigidly mounted. This footrest preferably has short legs or supports 20 on its underside which are engageable with the ground or other supporting surface when the seat frame is tilted forwardly relatively to the chassis as illustrated in dotted lines on FIG. 1. In conformity with conventional practice the seat rails 14 may be connected with a fabric seat (not shown in FIG. 1 because concealed by the seat rails 14 and not shown in FIG. 2 because concealed by the backrest) and similarly the backrest supports 16 maybe connected by a fabric backrest 21.

The seat frame is pivotally mounted on the chassis 10 for forward and rearward tilting movement relatively thereto. To this end the chassis is provided with a transversely extending shaft 22 on the ends of which inverted clevices 23 that are rigidly mounted on the seat frame are pivotally mounted.

The details of construction of the chassis and of the construction of the seat are of secondary importance insofar as the present invention is concerned, although they are preferably so constructed and so arranged that the rear portion of the chassis It may provide a support for carrying luggage such as the suitcase or traveling bag 24.

By virtue of the fact that the seat is pivotally mounted on the chassis at .22 for forward and rearward rocking or tilting movement, it will be appreciated that when the seat is in its rearmost position the footrest 19 is elevated above the ground surface to enable the chair to be propelled on its ground wheels 11 and caster wheels 12. Also, if the seat is tilted forwardly into the dotted line position shown in FIG. 1 that the footrest will rest solidly on the ground to facilitate ingress or egress to and from the chair with confidence on the part of the invalid. However, should the ground wheels 11 or the caster wheels 12 encounter an obstruction that would tend to arrest or retard the forward movement of the chassis the inertia of the seat and invalid thereon would tend to swing the seat from the full-line position shown in FIG. 1 into the dotted-line position wherein the footrest 19 would engage the ground and thus suddenly arrest forward movement of the entire chair. This is undesirable and consequently provision is made for permitting forward tilting movement of the seat relative to the chassis or frame only if this movement commences at a relatively slow speed. If it commences at a relatively rapid speed it is immediately arrested in a position that will hold the footrest 19 above the ground surface.

To accomplish the foregoing desiderata rods 25 are pivotally mounted at 26 on the seat frame forwardly of the pivot 22. These rods slidably extend into cylinders 27 that are pivotally mounted on a shaft 28 that extends across the frame or chassis 10. The upper ends of the cylinders are closed by caps 29 through which the rods 25 slidably extend. Within the cylinders the rods are equipped with opposed caps 30 and coil compression springs 31 are compressed between the opposed caps 29 and 30 around the rods'. These coil compression springs constantly urge the tubular rods 25 downwardly and consequently continually urge the seat into its forwardmost tilted position.

The lower ends of the rods 25 have opposed slots 32 cut therein so as to present downwardly facing shoulders '33 thereon. A latch 34 is provided for at least one cylinder. The latch is of general U-shaped cross-section 'as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 6, and 8 presenting a back 35 and two opposed sides 36 and 37 that are arranged adjacent the sides of the tubular rod 25. The latches 34 are also pivotally mounted on the transverse shaft 28 but are urged to turn in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 3, 5, and 7 by a light compression spring 38. In the back 35 of the latch a tang 39 is struck out to present an inclined camming surface 40 that is in the path of the bottom edge of the tubular rod 25. The sides 36 and 27 also have tangs 41 and 42 struck inwardly which tangs are capable of passing laterally through the slots 32 in the sides of the tubular rod in the course of swinging from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 7. These tangs present upwardly facing shoulders or edges that are engageable with the downwardly facing shoulders 33 as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 9. The operation of the above-described construction is substantially as follows:

When the seat is loaded and the weight of the invalid causes the seat to tilt rearwardly relative to the frame or chassis each latch 34 occupies the position shown in FIG. 3 withrelation to the tubular rod 25. In this position it will be noted that the tangs 41 and 42 are disposed forwardly of the shoulders 33 at the tops of the slots 32 and that the inclined camming surface 40 is beforwardly slowly with relation to the chassis that this movement can be continued until the footrest 19 rests solidly on the ground. On the other hand, if the forward rocking movement of the seat commences very rapidly each latch 34 is cammed in a clockwise direction quite rapidly and its inertia will carry it into the position shown in FIG. 7 wherein the tangs 41 and 42 will be placed in the paths of the shoulders 33 so as to immediately arrest continued movement of the seat in this direction.

When the transfer chair is unloaded the compression springs 31 urge the seat to tilt forwardly into its forwardmost position wherein the footrest is engaging the ground and consequently when the chair is unoccupied, it

is frictionally anchored by the footrest in a set position.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a wheeled frame, a seat frame mounted for forward and rearward tilting movement on the wheeled frame, and means between the seat frame and the wheeled frame permitting forward tilting of the seat frame relative to the wheeled frame when the seat frame is tilted forwardly slowly but neath the lower edge of the tubular rod 25 and is disposed in the path of its downward movement. If the seat is rocked forwardly slowly with relation to the chassis or frame 10, this causes the tubular rods 25 to descend from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 5. During the initial downward movement of the rod 25 it encounters the cam surface at relatively slow speed and cams the latch from the position shown in FIG. 3' to the position shown in FIG. 5 against the action of the light compression spring 38. When the latch is in the position shown in FIG. 5 the seat may continue its forward tilting movement until the footrest 19 is firmly or solidly supported on the ground. However, if the ground wheels 11 or the caster wheels 12 should encounter an obstruction tending to arrest the forward movement of the chassis and causing the seat, because of the inertia of the load thereon, to rapidly tilt forwardly the initial rapid downward movement of the rod 25 encounters the cam 40 with suflicient speed to cause the latch 34 to be swung rapidly in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 3,5, and 7. The inertia of the latch that is thus rapidly accelerated in a clockwise direction causes the latch to quickly swing from the position shown in FIG. 3 into the position shown in FIG. 7, which positions the top edges of tangs 41 and 42 beneath the shoulders 33. Downward movement of the tubular rods 25 is consequently instantly arrested and the seat remains on the chassis or frame 10 in substantially its rearwardmost tilted position. As soon as pressure is relieved such as by overcoming the mentioned obstruction, the top edges of tangs 41 and 42 will no longer frictionally engage the shoulder 33 and the spring 38 can return the latch from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. 3.

By means of the above-described construction it will be appreciated that the improved chair has a seat tilt ably mounted on the chassis or frame 10 for forward and rearward tilting movement. That if the seat is tilted preventing material forward tilting movement when the seat frame is started rapidly in its forward tilting movement.

2. A device of the class described comprising a wheeled frame, a seat frame mounted for forward and rearward tilting movement on the wheeled frame, and means between the seat frame and the wheeled frame permitting forward tilting of the seat frame relative to the wheeled frame whenthe seat frame .is tilted forwardly slowly but preventing material forward tilting movement when the seat frame is started rapidly in its forward tilting movement, said seat frame having a footrest engageable with the surface on which the wheeled frame rests when the seat frame is tilted forwardly materially relative to the wheeled frame.

3. A device of the class described comprising a wheeled frame, a seat mounted for forward and rearward tilting movement on the wheeled frame, a footrest rigid with the seat and movable therewith, said footrest being engageable with the surface over which the wheeled frame is movable when the seat is tilted forwardly materially relative to the wheeled frame, and means connecting the seat and wheeled frame permitting material forward tilting movement'of the seat relative to the wheeled frame only when the seat is tilted forwardly slowly.

4. A device of the class described comprising a wheeled frame, a seat mounted for forward and rearward tilting movement on the wheeled frame, a footrest rigid with the seat and movable therewith, said footrest being engageable with the surface over which the wheeled frame is movable when the seat is tilted forwardly materially relative to the wheeled frame, and means connecting the seat and wheeled frame permitting material forward tilting movement of the seat relative tothe wheeled frame only when the seat is tilted forwardly slowly and preventing such movement when the seat starts rapidly its tilt forwardly.

5. A device of the class described comprising a wheeled frame, a seat mounted for forward and rearward tilting movement on the wheeled frame, a footrest rigid with the seat and movable therewith, said footrest being engageable With the surface over which the wheeled frame is movable when the seat is tilted forwardly materially relative to the wheeled frame, brace means having one part pivotally connected to the seat and another part pivotally connected to the wheeled frame, said parts being movable relative to each other when the seat tilts relative to the wheeled frame, a latch movably mounted on one of said parts normally disposed in the path of movement of the other but arranged to be cammed out of its path when relative movement between the parts is slow, said latch having at least one other portion adapted to be moved into the path of movement of said other part when the latch is cammed out of its path rapidly.

6. In a device of the class described, a wheeled frame, a seat mounted for tilting movement relatively to the wheeled frame, a movable latch mounted on the wheeled frame, means on the seat movable toward and away from the latch as the seat tilts relatively to the wheeled frame, said latch presenting a cam surface engageable by said means to cause the latch to be cammed out of the path of said means when the seat is tilted slowly relatively to the wheeled frame, said latch presenting other means movable into the path of said means when the latch is rapidly cammed thereby to prevent continued tilting of the seat when the seat starts to tilt rapidly relative to the wheeled frame.

7. In a device of the class described, a Wheeled frame, a seat mounted for tilting movement relatively to the wheeled frame, a movable latch mounted on the wheeled frame, means on the seat movable toward and aWay from the latch as the seat tilts relatively to the wheeled frame, said latch presenting a cam surfaceengageable by said means to cause the latch to be cammed out of the path of said means when the seat is tilted slowly relatively to the wheeled frame, said latch presenting other means movable into the path of said means when the latch is rapidly cammed thereby to prevent continued tilting of the seat when the seat starts to tilt rapidly relative to the seat frame, and spring means urging the latch into a normal position in relation to the first-mentioned means.

8. In a device of the class described, a wheeled frame, a seat mounted for tilting movement relatively to the wheeled frame, a movable latch mounted on the Wheeled frame, means on the seat movable toward and away from the latch as the seat tilts relatively to the wheeled frame, said latch presenting a cam surface engageable by said means to cause the latch to be cammed out of the path of said means when the seat is tilted slowly relatively to the wheeled frame, said latch presenting other means movable into the path of said means when the latch is rapidly cammed thereby to prevent continued tilting of the seat when the seat starts to tilt rapidly relative to the seat frame, and spring means urging the seat to tilt for- Wardly relatively to the wheeled frame. I

9. A device of the class described comprising a wheeled frame, a seat frame mounted for forward and rearward tilting movement on the wheeled frame, said seat frame having a footrest adapted to rest solidly on the surface on which the wheeled frame rests when the seat frame is tilted forwardly materially relative to the wheeled frame but disengage the wheeled frame when the seat frame is tilted rearwardly relatively thereto, cammable means on one of said frames interposed in the path of movement of the seat frame relative to the wheeled frame adapted to permit forward tilting movement of the seat frame when the seat frame is tilted forwardly slowly relative to the wheeled frame but to prevent material forward tilting movement of the seat frame when the seat frame starts to tilt forwardly rapidly relative to the wheeled frame, and a cam on the other of said frames for actuating said cammable means.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,182,915 Connolly Dec. 12, 1939 2,753,919 Sill July 10, 1956 2,788,842 ()hlenkamp Apr. 16, 1957 

1. A DEVICE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED COMPRISING A WHEELED FRAME, A SEAT FRAME MOUNTED FOR FORWARD AND REARWARD TILTING MOVEMENT ON THE WHEELED FRAME, AND MEANS BETWEEN THE SEAT FRAME AND THE WHEELED FRAME PERMITTING FORWARD TILTING OF THE SEAT FRAME RELATIVE TO THE WHEELED FRAME WHEN THE SEAT FRAME IS TILTED FORWARDLY SLOWLY BUT PREVENTING MATERIAL FORWARD TILTING MOVEMENT WHEN THE SEAT FRAME IS STARTED RAPIDLY IN ITS FORWARD TILTING MOVEMENT. 